Door actuated deodorizer



April 11, 1967 Filed Nov. 20, 1964 INVENTOR @r/va/r/p 0440 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 11, 1967 7 3,313,061 DOOR ACTUATED DEODORIZER Raymond E. Dolac, Chicago, Ill. (6100 Grosse Point Road, Niles, HI. 60648) Filed Nov. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 412,716 4 Claims. (Cl. 49-70) This invention relates to improvements in automatically actuated deodorizers and more particularly concerns a new and improved deodorizer construction, constructed and arranged to be operated in response to movements of a door with which associated.

There are on the market deodorizing solutions conveniently packaged in plastic squeeze bottles equipped with atomizers and operative on squeezing such a botttle to dispense a limited atomized quantity of the deodorizing substance into an enclosed space, and more particularly a living space, from which it may be diflicult or impractical to ventilate an objectionable odor. Bathrooms are an example of such an enclosed space. At least during times of frequent use, such a space should desirably be equally frequently treated with the deodorizer. This may be difficult of attainment where manual operation of the deodorizer container is relied upon.

It is, accordingly, an important object of the present invention to provide a new and improved deodorizer construction for dispensing an air freshening charge of deodorant into a living space with a frequency substantially equal to and closely related to the frequency of use of that particular space.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved deodorizer construction especially adapted for automatic operation by a predetermined movement of an associated door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for operating a deodorizer in response to predetermined movements of a door.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for actuating a deodorizer in response to opening movements of a door.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved inexpensive, easily installed, and highly reliable device for automatically operating a room deodorizer and more particularly a dispensing deodorizer squeeze bottle.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a deodorizer structure embodying features of the invention and showing the same as mounted operatively in association with a hinged door; and

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the assembly.

According to the present invention, means are provided whereby a limited measured amount of deodorizer is dispensed automatically into the air within a living space such as a bathroom in response to predetermined movements of an access door 5 mounted on a doorjamb 7 as by means of butt hinges 8 each of which includes a hinge plate 9 attached to the edge of the door and having the usual three hinged curls 10, and a matching hinge plate 11 having complementary hinge curls 12. A hinge pin 13 extending through the aligned hinge curls and 12 provides the pivot for the hinge. Thereby the door 5 is adapted to be swung open from the closed position shown in full lines in FIGURES l and 2 to the open position as shown in dash outline in FIGURE 1.

As the door 5 is swung open a plastic squeeze bottle deodorant dispenser 14 having a top atomizing nozzle 15 is adapted to be operatively impinged by a door mounted squeezer 17 with which the bottle 14 is operatively aligned. Mounting of the deodorizer dispensing bottle 14 replaceably is desirably eifected by means of a bottle supporting bracket 18 suitably attached as by means of screws 19 to the structure defining the doorframe at the inner side of the doorjamb 7, such as a trim strip 20. Through this arrangement, the squeeze bottle 14 is supported in upright position by the bracket 18 and with one face backed against the doorframe member 20 so that pressure applied to the opposite exposed face of the bottle will cause the bottle to be squeezed to dispense an atomized squirt of the deodorizing material contents into the room.

In a simple and effective construction, the bottle squeezer 17 comprises a generally doglegged bracket member 21 having a long arm 22 and a shorter arm 23 joined thereto. At its free end, the long arm 22 is suitably apertured and has the hinge pin 13 extending therethrough and connecting it to the top curled pin of the doormounted hinge plate 9 and from which the long arm 22 extends generally along the inner side of the door 5 with the short arm 23 projecting inwardly generally away from the door.

Bottle-squeezing or thrust'means are carried by the short arm 23 of the squeeze device bracket. In a desin able construction, an impingement or thrust head 24 is provided on a thrust pin 25 which is reciprocably mounted through a boss 27 on the free end portion of the short arm 23. Resilien-tly yieldable biasing means 28 comprising a coiled compression spring is seated at one end on the boss 27 and at its opposite end thrusts against a thrust washer 29 bearing against the back of the head 24 and thus normally maintains the thrust head in extended relation to the short arm 23 and more particularly the boss 27 to the limit permitted by a stop element30 such as a cross pin, cotter pin or the like, extending through the end portion of the thrust pin opposite to the head 24 and engaging the side of the boss 27 opposite to the spring 28. Through this arrangement, when the door 5 is open the thrust head 24 is adapted to engage the exposed side of the bottle 14 aligned therewith and depress such side of the bottle to squeeze an atomized charge of deodorant from the bottle. Excessive or damaging pressure against the bottle or against the door by the device is avoided by the yieldable cushioning afforded by the spring 28.

To further minimize overcompression of the squeeze bottle and yet attain suitable optimum operative adjustment of the squeeze bracket 21, suitable adjustment means are provided, herein comprising an adjustment screw 31 desirably threaded through an enlargement 32 on the long arm 22 adjacent juncture with the short arm 23 and having a thrust head 33 engaging against the door 5.

The automatically operable deodorizer assembly may be mounted in association with any one of the hinges of the door. If the hinge structure of the door does not permit the convenient mounting of the bottle squeezing bracket 17 as shown, a supporting bracket or attachment device for securing it to the door can be readily provided.

Where the doorjamb structure permits, as in the absence of the trim strip 20, the position of the squeeze bottle 14 and the bracket 18 and of the squeeze device 17 may be readily reversed by mounting of the squeeze bottle bracket 18 on the door and a simple reverse mounting of the device 17 in which the long arm 22 opposes the doorframe instead of the door.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automatic door-actuated deodorant dispensing assembly:

3 a deodorant squeeze bottle supporting bracket mounted on an area at one side of a door hinge;

and a bottle squeezing device comprising a bracket having an arm mounted on the door hinge and backed against an area at the opposite side of the hinge, and a second arm projecting from the first arm;

said second arm carrying a thrust member which thrusts toward said first-mentioned area and is engageable with the squeeze bottle carried by the bracket when the door is opened to operate the bottle and dispense deodorant.

2. In an automatic door-actuated deodorant dispensing assembly,

a deodorant squeeze bottle supporting bracket mounted on a doorframe adjacent to a door hinge,

and a bottle squeezing device comprising a bracket having an arm mounted on the door hinge and backed up against the door and a second arm projecting from the first arm,

said second arm carrying a thrust member which thrusts toward said door frame and is engageable with the squeeze bottle carried by the bracket when the door is opened to operate the bottle and dispense deodorant.

3. In an automatic door-actuated deodorant dispensing assembly,

a deodorant squeeze bottle supporting bracket mounted on a doorframe adjacent to a door hinge,

a bottle squeezing device comprising a bracket having an arm mounted on the door hinge and backed up against the door and a second arm projecting from the first arm,

a thrust member reciprocably mounted on said second arm,

and means yieldably biasing said thrust member in bottle squeezing direction whereby the thrust memher will engage and squeeze a deodorant dispensing bottle carried by the bracket when the door is opened.

4. In an automatic door-actuated deodorant dispensing assembly,

a deodorant squeeze bottle supporting bracket mounted on a doorframe adjacent to a door hinge,

a bottle squeezing device comprising a bracket having an arm mounted on the door hinge and backed up against the door and a second arm projecting from the first arm,

said second arm carrying a thrust member engageabie with the squeeze bottle carried by the bracket when the door is opened,

and means for adjusting said first arm relative to the door.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 801,477 10/1905 Rose 239274 X 2,611,647 9/1952 Ash 239274 2,813,294 11/1957 Civitelli 16137 3,043,523 7/1962 Hogstrom 239274 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,128,287 8/1956 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH DOWNEY, Examiner. 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC DOOR-ACTUATED DEODORANT DISPENSING ASSEMBLY: A DEODORANT SQUEEZE BOTTLE SUPPORTING BRACKET MOUNTED ON AN AREA AT ONE SIDE OF A DOOR HINGE; AND A BOTTLE SQUEEZING DEVICE COMPRISING A BRACKET HAVING AN ARM MOUNTED ON THE DOOR HINGE AND BACKED AGAINST AN AREA AT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HINGE, AND A SECOND ARM PROJECTING FROM THE FIRST ARM; SAID SECOND ARM CARRYING A THRUST MEMBER WHICH THRUSTS TOWARD SAID FIRST-MENTIONED AREA AND IS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SQUEEZE BOTTLE CARRIED BY THE BRACKET WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED TO OPERATE THE BOTTLE AND DISPENSE DEODORANT. 